South Sudan’s warring leaders sign peace deal to share power

Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and chief mediator for the Khartoum Round of the South Sudan peace revitalisation process, El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed, arrived in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, yesterday to meet with President Silva Kiir Mayardit.

Fuelled by personal and ethnic rivalries, the conflict has killed tens of thousands, displaced an estimated quarter of South Sudan's population of 12 million and ruined its economy that heavily relies on crude oil production.

The most recent deal was signed in 2015 but it did not help to end the conflict. This is why when I came sign. "I gave my reservations", Kiir said.

Salva Kiir says the new deal will survive because it won't be forced upon them like previous accords.

In a joint statement on Friday, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) and the SPLM-FDs said they have been informed by the mediation that Juba rejected their proposals to settle the difference over the Independent Boundary Committee (IBC), and the proposed referendum which is now the default position if the parties fail to reach an agreement on the disputed 32 states. "Where will I get this?" said Kiir.

The parliament will be comprised of 550 lawmakers, including 332 from Kiir's group and 128 from Machar's faction. The SPLM has said it contains several shortfalls, including a "serious lack of consistency in allocating power-sharing ratios at all levels of governance".

The deal stipulates that there will be 35 ministers in the transitional government - 20 from Kiir's group and nine from Machar's, while the rest will represent other groups.

"I am going to sign", Kiir told journalists.

"In view of this development, we would like to inform the public that we can not sign the said agreement in its present form", reads the joint statement reiterating their readiness sign it "if and when our concerns are addressed" in line to the three proposals they made.